Note To Self
If I want a good set of sleep, I NEED to use the earplugs, otherwise I spend the entire time I'm sleeping, cringing and curled up against every bit of noise etc from upstairs and wake up NOT refreshed and also extremely sore and tense.

So yeah, another day lost. But I think I have a clue now as to the non pharma reasons behind my sleep schedule problems. Seriously I know now, considering I put the ear plugs in half way through and I feel more rested and relaxed than I have in days. If I was being that hyper-vigilant in my sleep, no wonder I was also staying awake until the sun rose. That's bound to make sleeping LESS alarming than hearing thuds and bumps and noise in my sleep at NIGHT.

I am in no position to move, but DAMN, yeah, this situation is no longer 'long term' for me. As long as that woman with her high heels and clogs and children are making noise about my head, I've got two years to be well enough and save up enough to move. Cause damn.

In my last place, I wore earplugs to sleep, and also got a sound conditioner -- the Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner from Amazon. I have never used fans or similar things to help me sleep, so I was afraid it wouldn't work for me, but it did, especially when combined with earplugs.

I think it works because it provides a steady sound that satisfies hyper-vigilant ears. Anticipating sound is exhausting, just as much as actually hearing it.

I'm going to check this out, right now, because part of the reason I'd stopped wearing the earplugs (after the Holidays when I need them cause the neighbour people across the street were obnoxious in their Holiday decorations, but by Heaven this year I WILL go over there and explain to them I can't take it any more).

Anyway, I got upset at how much I -didn't- hear, so it accentuated my hyper vilgilance because I was trying to hear something important THROUGH the headphones - just in case.

I use it during the day sometimes, when I need to give something concentrated attention. It works as a study aid, masking random sirens, motorcycles, car horns... It has two speeds, two adjusters, and then there is the final adjustment of distance. You can put it right next to the bed, or farther away.

I no longer have loud neighbors, but I'm near a college campus. Every once in a while someone on the street has a loud party.